Resilient wheel



Jan. 29, 1935. A. F. w. RUsKE 1,989,338

RESILIENT WHEEL Filed Dec 2, 1932 INVENToR.

ATTORNEys.`

Patented Jan. 29, 1935 'i UNI-TED sfr,lg'rflss PATENT! oF FICE* applicati@ December 2, '1932, serial No. 64.5.48?. v v5l Claims.l (c1. 20s- 181) l My invention relatesfto improvements in resilient wheels, and it consists of the combinations.'

constructions` and arrangements hereinafter .described and claimed'.`

An object of my invention ,isi to provide a resilient wheel which makes'use of a live rubber support, the rubber being perforated to give the .desired resiliency.- With this construction thereuisY no necessity to providean `air-inflated tire for the wheel.g f y s A f The wheel maybemade of various sizes and I show it especiallyadapted tov a rollerA skate in which the wheelis secured to the skate by a yielding support.y The .skate is veryl yielding .to the foot where thewheel is connected'to the skate by a .spring support, andv the wheel itself is provided with a resilient support.

Novel means is provided for permitting a slight play between the wheel andthe driving member andA the' hub of the wheel has oating'dualities due to the particular construction.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a skate showing the wheel operatively applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the skate;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the wheel with a part of the structure removed;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the wheel;

Figure 5 shows a part of the wheel structure, and Figure 6 is a section through a part of the device.

In carrying out my invention I provide a skate indicated generally at 1, which has side members 2 and 3. These members are provided with front slots 4 and rear slots 5. The front slots 4 are inclined forwardly and upwardly at an angle and receive an axle 6 of the resilient wheel. The slots 5 are inclined rearwardly and upwardly at an angle, and also receive the axle 6 of asimilar wheel. The axles are grooved at 7 for receiving the ends of a leaf spring 8. The spring is con-- nected to the skate by a bracket 9.

The structure is such that the axles 6 move upwardly in the slots 4 and 5 when a persons foot is supported by the skate. The wheels 10 will be described in detail hereinafter. The springs 8 perform the double function of yieldingly connecting the wheels to the skate andA also prevent a lateral movement ofthe Wheels with respect to the skate."` 1 'c f I will now describe .the particularVV construction of the Twheels 10." In Figure 3, I showY a liveY rub'- ber support 1l provided with a number of peres forationsv 12 for giving the necessary resiliency to the support. A ring 13is` disposed on theA inside of the rubber support and a rim 14 encircles the .outer periphery of the support. VAv s olid rubber tire 15is mounted ongthe rim 1.4. Y

Retaining plates 16 and 17 are securednto ythe sides of the rim 14 by screws 18 or othersuitable. fastening. means.H It will be notedthat vthe plates 16 and 17 have central openings 19 and 20 which'are larger., in diameter than theV inner diameter of the ring 13.." The `ring 13 bears directlyupon a hub 2l'and when pressure is brought lto bear on thehub 'supporting a weight, the hub will v.move the ringLlSfdown-, wardly, and if the 'weight'is'great enough"`the hub will ride on the inner peripheries 19 and 20. When the hub 21 rides on the peripheries 19 and 20 the hub is partially supported by the live rubber support 11. I

In Figure 4, I show additional plates or flanges 22 and 23 which vareconnected to the hub 21 by screws 21', and are resiliently connected to the plates 16 and 17. In Figure 5, I show the inner face of the plate 22 and it will be noted that this plate has circular recesses 24 which 30 receive a live rubber ring 25, the ring being mounted on a pin 26 which is carried by the plate 22. Figures 4 and 6 show how the plate 16 is provided with a circular recess 27 for receiv ing the rubber ring 25. In this way the plate 22 is connected to the plate 16.

It will be noted also from Figure 4 that the plate 23 is connected to the plate 17 by resilient rings 28 that are received in registering recesses in the plates 17 and 23. Pins 29 support the 40 rings 28 and are carried by the plate 23. The rings 28 are disposed 90 degrees around from the rings 25.

When the wheel is used as an idler wheel such as when mounted on a roller skate power need not be applied to the outer plates 22v and 23. Should the wheel be used for driving purposes such as a vehicle wheel`,power can be applied to the plate 23 for rotating it. The plate 23, hub

'21, and plate 22 will rotate as a unit because 50 The hub 21 can house the usual braking mech anism if the wheel is used on a vehicle. The hubY 21 can also carry the axle 61 as shown in Figure f 1 when the wheel is used forsupporting a roller skate. The live rubber support `11' is entirely en@ closed and is thus protected `from exposure and foreignmatter. The tire 15 Whenwo'rn can be renewed and the wheel willtherefore last indenitely.

:While I hav'e'only shown the preferred form of the invention, it should. be understood that various changes `or modicationsmay be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of `the invention. It is obvious that the number of rubber 'rings 25carried bythe outer plate 22 may be increased over' the two'shown in Figure 5, and likewise the number ofrubber rings 28 carried by the outer plate 23 may-also be increased to any desired number.

I claim: 1. A springv wheel comprising a hub having ilanges secured thereto, side members abutting theinner surfaces of the ilanges and resiliently connected thereto," a live rubber ring disposed between theside members, `mletal rings contacting with theinner' and outer'peripheries of the'live rubber ring, the inner metal ring contacting with the hub, and the side members having openings with a larger diameter than the hub, and a solid tire carried by the outer ring.

2. A spring wheel comprising a hub, a road contacting member mounted on the hub and having a circular live rubber portion, side members secured to the member and having openings larger in diameter than the diameter of the hub, wherebythe member can move transversely with respect to .the hubi'until` theside members contact with the hub.

'3. A resilient wheel comprising a hub, a road contacting member mounted on the hub and invclucliriga` resilient portion for allowing a slight v transverse .movementV between the member and the hub, and means for providing an unyielding connectionbetween the member and the hub after the 'member'f-has moved transversely through a Y predetermined distance.

f1. A spring wheel comprising a hub, a metal ring mounted on` Ithehb;afresilient 'c'entralmember mounted "on the' ring`,-f plates disposed-"at `lthe sides 'of the centrali'r'ne'mben` flanges integral with the hub and being disposedfat the' sidesof the plates, and resilient'conn'ectio'ns between the anges andthe plates.`

5. A 'springwhe'l comprising: a hub, ai'mtal ring mounted on the hub, a resilient central mein# ber mountedY on the `ring,-pltesii`sposed` at the sides of the central member, ang'eslntegral with the hub and being vdisp'osediat 'the' sides of -the plates, 'l and resilient fcofiriectonsy between the flanges land the plates, said resilient 'connections comprising resilient'. rings 'received in 'registering circular depressionsjirrthe plates and they anges,` said resilient rings being 'mountedfon' pins carried by the ilanges.

` ALBERT FREDRIcKwIIMAM-SKE. 

